Thanks For the Memories
by MissFortunesLuckyNumbers713
Summary: They say it takes a year and a day to grieve for a spouse. Artemis can do it in just a year. Follow her on her journey to grieve, and to remember. One-shot. Rated T for character death


**Hey! Miss Fortune here. This is remaining a one shot for now, unless anyone has any suggestions to expand upon this. Enjoy! Disclaimer: Story title mainly belongs to Fall Out Boy. Law and Order and Young Justice belong to their respective owners.**

1 day after

Artemis felt sobs rack her body as she leaned on the counter. Brucely whined behind her, desperate to know why his owner was so sad.

She collapsed to the floor in a heap, burying her face in her hands. Brucely nuzzled his nose into her lap and whined pitifully. She sobbed harder, clutching the mutt for dear life.

Wally had been the one to introduce Brucely into the family several years ago. Artemis had fought endlessly, not wanting the work of a dog, the mess it leaves behind. Wally argued that once she saw it, she'd change her mind. She was eventually dragged there, to the world's most adorable mutt. Her heart had instantly attached to the puppy. Wally was smug.

The memory made Artemis smile through her tears.

Then she remembered that she would never see his smug, stubborn, annoying face ever again. She'd never argue with him about trivial matters. She'd never quiz him on his chemistry. He'd never present impossible hypotheticals for her to solve. He'd never attempt to cook again, never make dumb daisy chains for her again, never drive around town recklessly again. He'd never live again. She burst into tears once again.

Brucely howled.

-—-—-—-—-—

1 week after

Artemis sniffled and wiped her eyes every few seconds, squeezing Dick's hand painfully. He just squeezed back and wiped his eyes and sniffled. Megan had her other hand, sobbing, radiating pain and sadness. Conner sat next to Megan, holding her hand. Artemis could swear she saw him brush away a stray tear, even if he'd never admit it. Wally had given him a home in the first few days of the pod escape, was like a sibling to him. Kaldur had his hands folded in his lap, squished very tight together, trying to make himself disappear, and staring at the picture of Wally they had in the front of the chapel.

Artemis could almost laugh at the irony of it. Wally, the adamant atheist, having a funeral at the most Christian-looking chapel she'd ever been to (not that she's been to very many chapels, mind you).

They had a closed casket at the front of the room, since his body was dissolved by energy, or lost in the speedforce, or whatever else Barry had said.

An "amen" brought her attention back to the head of the room, to a priest speaking about Wally and his "kindness, generosity, and ardent need to help others."

To her left, Dick snorted and whispered to the team, "Only one of those, maybe. Wally West, the most generous, sweetest idiot the world's ever seen."

The newer part of the team behind him (Beast Boy, L'gann, Bumblebee) all gaped at him, but the OG's all cracked up. It was true. Wally had never been very sweet, or generous, but his need to help others made it all okay.

Artemis remembered when he saw a hurt caterpillar (a caterpillar of all things!) and ordered Artemis to get him a shoebox, a paper towel, and some tape. Artemis just laughed, until Wally had shot her a glare that meant he was serious. He taped up a splint for the bug, and tried to nurse it back to health. Operative word: tried. Turns out, caterpillars don't eat cheetos. Caterpie the First, bless his soul, died ten minutes later.

-—-—-—-—-—

1 month after

Artemis sighed, regret coursing through her heart. She didn't know what to keep and what to give away. Would Wally want her to keep his old baseball mitt from third grade? Or the ring he was going to propose to her with (that one caused too many tears and thoughts of lost dreams to want to keep- but maybe she could give it to Dick, for Barbara)?

Artemis had just rolled up her sleeves, literally and emotionally, when she heard three knocks on the door.

She walked over to the door, and opened it, almost floored by what she saw. Megan. Conner. Kaldur. Dick. Bruce. Gar (he loved Wally and Artemis). Bart. Barry. Iris. Mary. Rudy.

Her eyes welled up, and the group enveloped her. They all held each other for a bit, then separated with a bit of watery laughter and smiles.

They all looked through Wally's stuff, helped organize it to donate, and took some. Dick took the pottery he and Wally had made at a weird pottery class. Megan took back the cookie recipes she had lent him. Gar, after many longing looks, had been handed the small chemistry kit Wally kept in the house. Mary sobbed at the baseball mitt. Bart took the Kid Flash sweatshirt Artemis had bought for Wally as a gag.

They also left stuff. Mary left a book of Wally's baby pictures. Bruce left a plate of Alfred's cookies. Dick left a photo booth picture of Wally, Artemis, and him, making funny faces. Iris left some agendas she had bought for Wally to organize himself. Gar left a friendship bracelet he had made for Wally- and left the surprisingly grown-up words "Arty, if you need anything, just call me. I'll always answer." (this brought Artemis to tears and she scooped up Gar in a huge hug, promising to call)

She remembered when Wally and her had first met Gar together. Artemis had invited him and Megan over for pizza dinner, but Megan couldn't stay, only drop off Gar. After, some initial awkwardness from being almost-strangers, they quickly warmed up. Artemis had watched an episode of Law and Order with the two, surprised by Gar's knowledge. Wally showed Gar how to properly burp with a liter of soda. Gar showed them how to play a video game. By the end of the day, Gar had almost thrown up from laughing so hard, and Artemis had milk trails down her nose out of laughter, and Wally had water all over his shirt from spitting it out after bursting into laughter.

At the end of the tiring day, Artemis sat down, Brucely on her lap, a smile on her face.

-—-—-—-—-—

1 year after

Artemis stretched her shoulders and touched her toes, making sure there was no tension anywhere. She tied her shoelaces super tight and pulled her socks down a little.

She spotted her friends in the stands and jogged over to them, waving and smiling. They all cheered and held up homemade signs, which declared "Run, Artemis, run!", "Gotta go fast", and the simple "RUN" (in all caps of course).

Artemis had joined track and field first as a tribute to Wally, then really fell in love with the sport. She loved the way her hair would whip back, and the wind would bite her face, and she could almost imagine the love of her life jogging beside her, shouting encouragement and cheering.

She remembered when she first joined the team, and despite Wally's and her arguments and attitudes against each other, he taught her how to really run. Certain tricks that he learned after becoming a speedster. He would adjust her arms and push her leg back. That was when Artemis truly knew that he was going to be a good friend. Maybe even something more.

She smiled at her friends' cheers, and walked to the starting line, waiting for the whistle, her hands finding the proper stance.

As soon as the whistle sounded, she ran as fast as she could.

She felt Wally's presence. It made her sad, but also so, so happy. She was upset he was gone from her vision, but he would never be gone from her heart, her mind, her _soul_.

People die, people move on, people abandon you. Memories live on.


End file.
